Knowledge (Local)
Knowledge (Local) (Int; Trained Only)
You are educated in the ways of the common man and how to get along in civilized places, which allows you to answer both simple and complex questions on that topic. Specifically, Knowledge (Local) allows you to make checks to reveal information on inhabitants, laws, customs, traditions and superstitions.
Despite its name, Knowledge (Local) is not knowledge specific to a single locale. Instead, it is the street-level know-how of navigating cities, knowing the right people to talk to for gossip, the right people to sell goods of questionable origin, and the right way to behave without calling attention to yourself. A person trained in this skill can do this is nearly any city, intuitively knowing how to seek out the right people or places.
Check
Answering a question on a Local topic has a DC of 10 (for really easy questions), 15 (for basic questions), or 20 to 30 (for really tough questions).
You can use this skill to identify humanoids and their special powers or vulnerabilities. In general, the DC of such a check equals 10 + the monster's CR. For common monsters, such as goblins, the DC of this check equals 5 + the monster's CR. For particularly rare monsters, such as the tarrasque, the DC of this check equals 15 + the monster's CR, or more. A successful check allows you to remember a bit of useful information about that monster. For every 5 points by which your check result exceeds the DC, you recall another piece of useful information.
| Task | Skill DC |
|---|---|
| Know local laws, rulers, and popular locations | 10 |
| Know a common rumor or local tradition | 15 |
| Know hidden organizations, rulers, and locations | 20 |
Action
Gathering information, locating shady merchants, and finding hidden organizations requires subtlety and care. A minimum of 1 hour per size category of the settlement is required to perform most Knowledge (Local) checks in a settlement where the character has no prior dealings. Once they've gotten a feel for the place, however, future checks require only 1 additional hour, regardless of the settlement's size (though this does not include travel time).
Try Again
No. The check represents what you know, and thinking about a topic a second time doesn't let you know something that you never learned in the first place.
Special
You cannot make an untrained Knowledge check with a DC higher than 10. If you have access to an extensive library that covers a specific skill, this limit is removed. The time to make checks using a library, however, increases to 1d4 hours. Particularly complete libraries might even grant a bonus on Knowledge checks in the fields that they cover.